Zontar the Thing from Venus (Restored)

This version of Zontar is based on this version. The color in the picture was nicer but the sound was very low.

Picture is slightly better.

Differences

The soundtrack has been remastered with higher volume levels, parametric EQ to help with any high-end cracking, bass boost to the low end, and some de-noising and de-crackling. It's not perfect but it's much better. Combined with the enhanced color it makes for a more enjoyable cheesy film experience.

The picture has been slightly enhanced but not much. The only thing missing is possible frame stabilization.

IMDb Summary: A misguided scientist enables an alien from Venus named Zontar to come to Earth in order to help solve man's problems. However, Zontar has other ideas, like disabling the power supply of the entire world and taking possession of important officials with mind control devices.

Reviews

But he made both versions....so spare a little love for this one and for John "The Brain from Planet Arous" Agar. If it weren't for him and Kenneth Tobey 50s and 60s sci-fi would have been pretty bleak!

This pacy, apparently made for TV revamp of It Conquered The World doesn't just remake but shamelessly rips off Roger Corman's original, right down to most of its dialogue and its mise-en-scene. The Corman film was an unusually thoughful and subtle affair in spite of its well-designed (on paper) but still silly monster, sidetracking the usual period 'red menace' paranoia in favour of a humanist denial of the concept of collectivism, which seems to posit the monster as a kind of Venusian Karl Marx. I've actually seen a flag-waving Christian reviewer online give the film a low rating, on account of their sympathies with collectivism as they've misinterpreted it from the Bible, so there's something there that can still touch a chord. Symbolically, Beluah maybe comes from Venus because it's identified with love.

In any case, Corman's film is still at heart camp and this is much camper. It may lack finesse, but what it lacks in the original's relatively serious intent and suprisingly good acting it makes up for in hammy silliness. The original's seven-foot tall, clawed red pepper monster was a striking creature design that looked inept on execution. Zontar's design is more generic, but at least he is able to move, whereas Beluah can only move its arms in two directions and has the mobility of a shopping cart. Plus, Beluah gives birth to bats, but Zontar fires off flying lobsters. Put your feet up, have a coffee, relax and enjoy.

PS - I've never understood how easily the town flies into a stampeding panic in either version, after a radio announcement about the cutting off of their water supply.

I am a Christian, although I am not waving a flag... lol! But I agree with your review of this movie.
I have also read reviews of the original "The Haunting" that say the house trying to trap Eleanor is a representation of woman being trapped by 1950's ideals of womanhood... being tied to the home and no matter what the woman would rather do, the house is going to get her in the end.
You bring up interesting points about this movie... it is silliness and fun. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

This is an almost word-for-word remake of the 1956 classic "It Conquered the World," a much better movie, primarily due to having Lee Van Cleef and Peter Graves in the main roles.
More on it here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049370/

Beautiful restoration on ZONTAR. I bounced it to DVD and sent my other versions to the dumpster. I kept my Sci-Fi 50 pack as an original reference. Watched this as a teen in 1968 on Chiller Theatre on a old B&W TV with rabit ears. Great job! Looking forward to your next restore. Terrible movie, but the restore made it mucho watchable! Many thanks

VE

Reviewer:phantomofkrankor -
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September 5, 2012 Subject:
Restored Zontar-- who ever expected to see those two words together?

Thanks to both of you, this is great! All we need now is "Zontar--the Director's Cut" and life will be complete ;-)